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| Alejandro Kirk drove in the Blue Jays only run in a 7-1 loss to the Rays |
After dropping yesterday's game due to another poor effort from the inept offense, the Blue Jays were looking to start the week with a win against the Rays, who have won 5 of the 6 games played between the two squads so far this season, outscoring the Blue Jays 30-20. Dylan Ceasse got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after the half day off as DH yesterday (George Springer served as DH tonight.) Myles Straw got the start in LF. Could the Blue Jays start the week with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.
Game Highlights:
- The Rays opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Victor Mesa Jr, hammered a solo bomb to dead center
- The Rays added a run in the top of the 3rd as Jonathan Aranda singled scoring Taylor Walls
- The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 4th as Alejndro Kirk singled scoring George Springer
- The Rays added a run in the top of the 5th on a fielding error by Andres Gimenez on a ball hit by Yandy Diaz that scored Nick Fortes
- Two batters later, Junior Caminero singled scoring Diaz
- The Rays added a run in the top of the 6th as Cedric Mullins hammered a solo bomb to dead center
- Dylan Cease pitching line: 6IP 7H 5R (3 earned) 1BB 7K 101 pitches (66 for strikes)
- The Rays added a run in the top of the 7th as Caminero doubled scoring Diaz
- Nick Marunez pitching line: 6IP 6H 1R (earned) 1BB 0K 82 pitches (54 for strikes)
- The Rays addeda run in the top of the 9th as Fortes whacked a solo blast to left-center
- Final score: Rays 7 Blue Jays 1
My Take:
- Dylan Cease battled through 6 innings, giving up 5 runs (3 earned ) on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 7. Cease was taken deep twice. You have to wonder if the exra days off effected his effectiveness. Pitchers are very much creatures of habit and the starters are used to pitching every 5 days. Unfortunate timing for a bad start with the Blue Jays needing to string together some wins and fast.
- The bullpen gave up a pair of runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2 over the last 2 innings. Brendon Little looked ok in the 1st inning he pitched but John Schneider tempted fate and let him throw one more - then he ran into trouble, giving up a run on 3 hits while intentionally walking Junior Caminero.
- The offense was one RBI single off the bat of catcher Alejanddro Kirk. Vlad was 0-8 and his contract is aging badly - only 13 more years...
- There were no ABS challenges today
- The Blue Jays were 1-5 with runners in scoring position
- Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2-game skid and avoid their 10th season series loss of the season. Kevin Gausman starts against Rays righty Drew Rasmussen.
